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Software Architecture Guide

Architecture Disciplines

Explanation

Section titled “Explanation”

Architecture work does not have one single scope. A popular way to explain the scopes is a city analogy.

Enterprise architecture is like city planning. Its scope is the business as a whole, aligned with technical activity. It helps decide how areas relate to each other. It also helps decide how utilities such as water and electricity fit into the bigger picture. It does not decide who builds what. Utilities are the analogue of infrastructure.

Solution architecture is like the design of a building on a plot of land. It works inside that plot. Software architecture is likened to this kind of building design. (See Software Architecture and Enterprise Architecture for each topic in depth.)

Several disciplines work together. A solution draws on whatever disciplines the problem requires, so several disciplines jointly shape one solution. Specialist roles exist beside the enterprise role. A network architect, for example, applies network technology to the design of large systems.

The boundaries are blurry. Solution architecture and enterprise architecture are often seen as overlapping. Many IT architects do not see the boundary between them. One proposal is to let solution architecture own the “architecture within the land” and let enterprise architecture own the “architecture within the city.”

Example

Section titled “Example”

A company plans a new online ordering system. At the city level, planners decide how the ordering area relates to other business areas and how shared services fit in. They do not decide who builds the system. At the plot level, the solution team designs the ordering system itself. Because the system is large, they ask a network specialist to help with the network design.

Trade-offs

Section titled “Trade-offs”

Because the boundary between solution and enterprise architecture is blurry, the two can overlap. Teams may duplicate work or leave gaps unless they agree who covers what. Drawing on several disciplines also means more people take part in shaping one solution.

Checks

Section titled “Checks”
  • The document states whether a piece of work belongs to solution scope or enterprise scope, and does not leave the boundary implicit.
  • Specialist disciplines used for the solution, such as network design, are named.
Section titled “Related”

Sources

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